Eclipse 500 owner Mike Press and deposit-holder Mason Holland on Friday launched a new company called Eclipse Jet to bid on assets of bankrupt Eclipse Aviation, restore Eclipse 500 product support and eventually return the very light jet to production. “Many of the owners are my personal friends, whom I’ve introduced to Eclipse and sold them their aircraft,” said Press. “I am responsible for them, and Mason and I have organized an exceptional team to lead a bid to fulfill my responsibility to current Eclipse owners and depositors.” The first priority, according to Holland, is to reestablish maintenance support, parts supply, avionics and known-icing upgrades and pilot training. After those goals are achieved, production of the Eclipse 500 would resume, with existing deposit holders offered a lower price to help them “recoup some of their investments,” Holland said. Eclipse Aviation proved the concept of the VLJ, he said, “and created a viable aircraft, now we just need to put a viable company behind it. We can’t let this go to waste.”